City Panel to Examine Galleria Renovation

Homeowners, developers and a City Council office will weigh in on a $30-million proposal to renovate the flagging Sherman Oaks Galleria Tuesday at a meeting of a key council committee.

The three-member Planning and Land Use Management Committee will have the final say before full council consideration of the Galleria’s request for eight conditional-use permits for the sale of alcohol at restaurants and a request to have about 1,200 fewer parking spaces than specified by the Ventura Boulevard Specific Plan.

A feisty coalition of the Homeowners of Encino and the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn. has appealed previous decisions of the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals to the council committee, citing fears of increased crime, drunk driving and traffic congestion.

The coalition wants only two liquor licenses to be issued and prefers additional parking spaces, among other requests, said Gerald A. Silver, president of the Encino group.

City Councilman Mike Feuer, who generally backs the renovation, and some homeowners would like to see a voluntary cap on alcohol sales at restaurants, limiting alcohol sales to 30% of total food and beverage sales.

The Galleria has already agreed to a 35% cap, but fears that further restrictions will hamper its leasing efforts.

The Galleria owners, Prudential Insurance Co. of America and Dai-Ichi Life (USA), want to add eight restaurants and 13 movie theaters to the mall for a total of 18 theaters.

The proposed renovation also calls for the construction of a pedestrian plaza at the northwest corner of Ventura and Sepulveda boulevards.

The committee meeting, to be held at 1 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall, is the last step before the full council considers the Galleria renovation at its April 24 meeting.